Hi
I have a 1988 USA Standard Strat. Everything about it is great except - the top E string is weaker than the others and the tone is definitely less zingy than, say, the 2nd (B) string. I'm often forced to play up and down the B string rather than move up to the top E string as the tonal change is unacceptable.
I'm using D'addario 10 - 52 strings. The tonal change applies at any fret so it's not the nut. I've checked the bridge and that's all OK. New strings make little difference.
At one point I thought I'd found the cause when I discovered that the truss rod was loose! Adjusting that made no tonal difference either, just improved playability.
I play mainly instrumentals so it's clean amplification (no distortion).
My amp is a Vox AD30VT. I've tried all the clean amps but usually use the AC30 as this gives me a nice rich sound.
Any ideas most welcome.
Jim

Welcome to the Forum.


How is the string height?

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

i always found ac30's very zingy amps. Could the action for that string be too low, or could the pickup height on the bass side be high and lower for the treble end, staggered polepieces tend to accentuate the B string and attenuate the E, i found lowering the bass side and raising the bridge side of the pickups counteracts this a bit.

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No no and no

Have you considered the pole hieght of your pup ? Just a thought.

Hi
I've set my string heights, neck bow, pickup gaps etc. per the Fender manual included with the guitar. The pole pieces are level, not staggered on this model guitar.
I'll try raisng the treble side when I get a chance. Trouble is - this will increase output from the B string too.
I was wondering if this has something to do with the wood used. Just my luck if it is. I'm left handed so choice is very limited.
Cheers
Jim

+1 -- This sounds like either a pole-height or pup-height issue.

maybe raise the pickup on that side, brings the pole of the pick up closer to the string...like bringing the microphone closer to your mouth

Do u notice the sound difference (acoustic) with the guitar not plugged in?
If so then it may not be a pickup thing. If the string sounds fine not plugged in.
Then the problem is likely electronic & the pick up levels would be the first & easiest place to start.

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explorationx

Wow, good post. He is right. +1 -- Maybe your problem is some gunk in the nut and/or saddle that is muting you a bit.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

yeah i get the same tonal weakness on my am strat.
my hwy 1 has a very uniform tone(weakness and strength)
i imoroved the intonation on it. it did improve alittle.

let me know what you do to improve it

it is possible, come to think of it
it does have a slightly muted sound to it. not completely,
maybe from the nut or the saddle.
im changing strings this weekend, adding graphite to nut and saddles.

sorry im totally hitching a ride on someone elses post, but these have been very helpful to me

Hi
Thanks for all the replies. I don't mind the thread being hijacked if you can offer a different angle on the subject.
Acoustically the top string sounds as zingy as the others.
As I mentioned before amplified the string is weak even when fretted so it can't be the nut. I've had the bridge apart and cleaned it up - no rust on the screws, no crud in the groove, the screws sit nicely on the base plate etc, etc.
Looks like the pick ups then. Or maybe the block. I've read that problems with the block can deaden strings but I've checked that too. All seems OK here.
Any one got any useful ideas on replacement pickups. I'm reluctant to fork out money on new pickups just to find the top string problem isn't fixed. Remember I play instrumentals so it's singing tones I'm after, not high output more suited to overdrive.
Jim

Okay, pickup problem. Did you try raising the pickup on the high-E-string side? That is just simple screw turning you could do yourself.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

Funny I just saw this thread. I have the same issue with the high E string. It is much weaker in volume then the B string next to it. But in my case it is only the pickup in the bridge position, which happens to be a red Lace Sensor. The other two pickups keep the strings at the same volume level.

If all of Brainstrain's pickups are muting the high E it has to be something with that one string. As for me, I think I may have a bad pickup.

Anyone else have a red Lace Sensor in the bridge position? If so, does it mute the high E a little?

Sorry for hijacking the thread as well.

I have a Strat with Silver, Blue and Red Sensors. No problem with the top e - but if you do, then a handy advantage of Sensors, unlike ordinary pickups, is that you can take them as close to the strings as you like without wolf notes (till the string actually starts touching the pickup, of course). Just wind it up on the treble side till you get what you want.

Another thing to consider with all of this is your overall setup. As well as adjusting the pickups you can raise the action on the middle strings a little to reduce their output relative to the top e. Sometimes people experience this problem with the e and b strings - so the the same solution, but starting from the g string down. Ultra low action is sometimes a mixed blessing...

One more thing to remember: many people actually have the pickups too high all the way across. As Chet Feathers frequently says, higher pickups for more output, lower pickups for more sustain (turn your amp up instead). So instead of raising the treble side, lower the bass side of the pickup instead for the same end result as to balance, but better sustain.

Any use?

Cheers - C